A good deal?

hampshirebabe

I'm about to buy a laptop from www.buyitdirect.co.uk and they're doing a deal where if y!u buy a 3 year warrenty for £90 then in 3 years time you send back your laptop and they send you a new one for the same amount as the one you just bought.
Is that a good deal, it sounds like a too good to be true deal, but maybe not?

siliconbits

Sounds too good to be true... Any links you can provide? A proper 3 year warranty is different from what you are actually describing.

siliconbits

Found it! http://www.buyitdirect.co.uk/buy_one_get_one_free/page.asp?tref=BOGOF

Can't really believe how they will make this become true.....

hampshirebabe

I'm thinking I spend £350 now, in 3 years I'll get a much higher spec pc, but it'll still be a relatively low end pc compared to others at the time.
I should think lots of people who do this might forget so thats how they'd make their money.
£90 seems not bad for 3 years warranty.

weegie.geek

On the face of it it's a good deal. Buy a laptop for £690 (£555 for the laptop and £135 warranty) just now, and get another worth £555 in 3 years.

The problem is that the laptop's overpriced, a quick look finds it for £500. Probably available cheaper if you have a good loop around.

Then you've got to think about the warranty. You probably can't do anything like upgrade the ram or hard drive without invalidating it, and probably this offer.

Who's to say Laptops Direct will be around in 3 years? Then you've bought an overpriced laptop with a worthless extended warranty.

Then remember that you have to send back the laptop once you're done, at your cost, before getting the new one. They'll probably find a dozen things wrong with it, the tiniest scratch, to deny you your replacement, or at least knock money off the amount you're allowed to choose one for.

And just how overpriced will the laptops you're allowed to choose from in 3 years be?

Unless you'd go for the extended warrranty anyway, and assuming it's not significantly more expensive than the same laptop from elsewhere with an extended warranty, it MIGHT be a deal.

Sounds like a bit of a gamble to me though.



Also: http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews61649.html

epz_2

Why not just get a decent lenovo or toshiba, they have 3 three year warrantys as part of the product and i know toshiba dont really care if you move country unless its to cuba etc. Not only do you get 3 years protection but also use a quality laptop that as been designed well.

Sounds like a mobile phone type conn to me.

macman

Laptops have got better in the last 3 years and the prices much lower. No-one knows if the trend will continue or not. Better to buy a more competitive machine and upgrade to a conventional 3 year warranty if you wish-for example you can do this on any Dell laptop.

hampshirebabe

I see your point however this is the pc I was after, and I've not been able to find another pc as high spec as this one for under £300, so I think the prices are competative. As for the bad reviews, the problem there I think is that people tend to put reviews when they're really unhappy, but tend not to if they are happy, so I'm not sure the statistics can always be trusted.
However, I found the same one on Ebay with a shop that has 100% feedback over 3 years at a cheaper price and a years warranty, so I got it from there.
Thanks for your input though.
Mary

weegie.geek

hampshirebabe wrote: »

As for the bad reviews, the problem there I think is that people tend to put reviews when they're really unhappy, but tend not to if they are happy, so I'm not sure the statistics can always be trusted

Agreed, which is why you have to look into what the complaints are regarding. Also, they're not the biggest of companies, so you have to wonder just what percentage of their custom is resulting in negative reviews, in comparison with say Amazon, Play, Ebuyer or Scan who sell a pile of computery stuff and have good reputations.

libertino

I'm looking at the same deal (for this laptop). 2 questions:

1. Do you have to return the original laptop and swap it for the new one in 3 years or do you keep the original when you get the free one?

2. The terms state: "This offer is not open to business purchases." I'm registered as Self Employed because I make a bit of money from freelance web design (I've not registered a company or anything) and would be claiming this on my expenses come next year's tax return. Would that make it a "business purchase" and disqualify me from the free laptop offer?

rachel6188

libertino wrote: »

I'm looking at the same deal (for this laptop). 2 questions:

1. Do you have to return the original laptop and swap it for the new one in 3 years or do you keep the original when you get the free one?

2. The terms state: "This offer is not open to business purchases." I'm registered as Self Employed because I make a bit of money from freelance web design (I've not registered a company or anything) and would be claiming this on my expenses come next year's tax return. Would that make it a "business purchase" and disqualify me from the free laptop offer?

i bought a laptop from laptops direct 14 months ago...its had a hard drive failue 8 months ago and now it wont charge....its pathetic and all i get told is its out of warrenty.